1961-1970

The Pro Football
Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio opened on Sept. 7, 1963.

1961

The Houston Oilers defeated
the Los Angeles Chargers 24-16 before 32,183 in the first AFL
Championship Game, January 1.

Detroit defeated Cleveland 17-16 in the first Playoff Bowl, or
Bert Bell Benefit Bowl, between second-place teams in each
conference in Miami, January 7.

End Willard Dewveall of the Bears played out his option and
joined the Oilers, becoming the first player to move deliberately
from one league to the other, January 14.

Ed McGah, Wayne
Valley, and Robert Osborne bought out their partners in the
ownership of the Raiders, January 17. The Chargers were transferred
to San Diego, February 10. Dave R. Jones sold the Browns to a group
headed by Arthur B. Modell, March 22. The Howsam brothers sold the
Broncos to a group headed by Calvin Kunz and Gerry Phipps, May 26.

NBC was awarded a two-year contract for radio and television
rights to the NFL Championship Game for $615,000 annually, $300,000
of which was to go directly into the NFL Player Benefit Plan, April
5.

Canton, Ohio, where the league that became the NFL was formed in
1920, was chosen as the site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, April
27. Dick McCann, a former Redskins executive, was named executive
director.

A bill legalizing single-network television contracts by
professional sports leagues was introduced in Congress by
Representative Emanuel Celler. It passed the House and Senate and
was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy, September 30.

Houston defeated San Diego 10-3 for the AFL championship,
December 24. Green Bay won its first NFL championship since 1944,
defeating the New York Giants 37-0, December 31.

1962

The Western Division defeated
the Eastern Division 47-27 in the first AFL All-Star Game, played
before 20,973 in San Diego, January 7. Both leagues prohibited
grabbing any player's facemask. The AFL voted to make the scoreboard
clock the official timer of the game. The NFL entered into a
single-network agreement with CBS for telecasting all regular-season
games for $4.65 million annually, January 10.

Judge Roszel Thompson of the U.S. District Court in Baltimore
ruled against the AFL in its antitrust suit against the NFL, May 21.
The AFL had charged the NFL with monopoly and conspiracy in areas of
expansion, television, and player signings. The case lasted two and
a half years, the trial two months.

McGah and Valley acquired controlling interest in the Raiders,
May 24. The AFL assumed financial responsibility for the New York
Titans, November 8. With Commissioner Rozelle as referee, Daniel F.
Reeves regained the ownership of the Rams, outbidding his partners
in sealed-envelope bidding for the team, November 27.

The Dallas Texans defeated the Oilers 20-17 for the AFL
championship at Houston after 17 minutes, 54 seconds of overtime on
a 25-yard field goal by Tommy Brooker, December 23. The game lasted
a record 77 minutes, 54 seconds.

Judge Edward Weinfeld of the U.S. District Court in New York City
upheld the legality of the NFL's television blackout within a
75-mile radius of home games and denied an injunction that would
have forced the championship game between the Giants and the Packers
to be televised in the New York City area, December 28. The Packers
beat the Giants 16-7 for the NFL title, December 30.

1963

The Dallas Texans transferred to
Kansas City, becoming the Chiefs, February 8. The New York Titans
were sold to a five-man syndicate headed by David (Sonny) Werblin,
March 28. Weeb Ewbank became the Titans' new head coach and the
team's name was changed to the Jets, April 15. They began play in
Shea Stadium.

NFL Properties, Inc., was founded to serve as the licensing arm
of the NFL.

Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay halfback Paul Hornung
and Detroit defensive tackle Alex Karras for placing bets on their
own teams and on other NFL games; he also fined five other Detroit
players $2,000 each for betting on one game in which they did not
participate, and the Detroit Lions Football Company $2,000 on each
of two counts for failure to report information promptly and for
lack of sideline supervision.

Paul Brown, head coach of the Browns since their inception, was
fired and replaced by Blanton Collier. Don Shula replaced Weeb
Ewbank as head coach of the Colts.

The AFL allowed the Jets and Raiders to select players from other
franchises in hopes of giving the league more competitive balance,
May 11.

NBC was awarded exclusive network broadcasting rights for the
1963 AFL Championship Game for $926,000, May 23. The Pro Football
Hall of Fame was dedicated at Canton, Ohio, September 7.

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed the lower
court's finding for the NFL in the $10-million suit brought by the
AFL, ending three and a half years of litigation, November 21. Jim
Brown of Cleveland rushed for an NFL single-season record 1,863
yards.

Boston defeated Buffalo 26-8 in the first divisional playoff game
in AFL history, December 28.

The Bears defeated the Giants 14-10 in the NFL Championship Game,
a record sixth and last title for Halas in his thirty-sixth season
as the Bears' coach, December 29.

1964

The Chargers defeated the
Patriots 51-10 in the AFL Championship Game, January 5.

William Clay Ford, the Lions' president since 1961, purchased the
team, January 10. A group representing the late James P. Clark sold
the Eagles to a group headed by Jerry Wolman, January 21. Carroll
Rosenbloom, the majority owner of the Colts since 1953, acquired
complete ownership of the team, January 23.

The AFL signed a five-year, $36-million television contract with
NBC to begin with the 1965 season, January 29.

Commissioner Rozelle negotiated an agreement on behalf of the NFL
clubs to purchase Ed Sabol's Blair Motion Pictures, which was
renamed NFL Films, March 5.

Hornung and Karras were rein- stated by Rozelle, March 16.

CBS submitted the winning bid of $14.1 million per year for the
NFL regular-season television rights for 1964 and 1965, January 24.
CBS acquired the rights to the champion-ship games for 1964 and 1965
for $1.8 million per game, April 17.

Pete Gogolak of Cornell signed a contract with Buffalo, becoming
the first soccer-style kicker in pro football.

Buffalo defeated San Diego 20-7 in the AFL Championship Game,
December 26. Cleveland defeated Baltimore 27-0 in the NFL
Championship Game, December 27.

1965

The NFL teams pledged not to
sign college seniors until completion of all their games, including
bowl games, and empowered the Commissioner to discipline the clubs
up to as much as the loss of an entire draft list for a violation of
the pledge, February 15.

The NFL added a sixth official, the line judge, February 19. The
color of the officials' penalty flags was changed from white to
bright gold, April 5.

Atlanta was awarded an NFL franchise for 1966, with Rankin Smith,
Sr., as owner, June 30. Miami was awarded an AFL franchise for 1966,
with Joe Robbie and Danny Thomas as owners, August 16.

Field Judge Burl Toler became the first black official in NFL
history, September 19.

According to a Harris survey, sports fans chose professional
football (41 percent) as their favorite sport, overtaking baseball
(38 percent) for the first time, October.

Green Bay defeated Baltimore 13-10 in sudden-death overtime in a
Western Conference playoff game. Don Chandler kicked a 25-yard field
goal for the Packers after 13 minutes, 39 seconds of overtime,
December 26. The Packers then defeated the Browns 23-12 in the NFL
Championship Game, January 2.

In the AFL Championship Game, the Bills again defeated the
Chargers, 23-0, December 26.

CBS acquired the rights to the NFL regular-season games in 1966
and 1967, with an option for 1968, for $18.8 million per year,
December 29.

1966

The AFL-NFL war reached its
peak, as the leagues spent a combined $7 million to sign their 1966
draft choices. The NFL signed 75 percent of its 232 draftees, the
AFL 46 percent of its 181. Of the 111 common draft choices, 79
signed with the NFL, 28 with the AFL, and 4 went unsigned.

Buddy Young became the first African-American to work in the
league office when Commissioner Rozelle named him director of player
relations, February 1.

The rights to the 1966 and 1967 NFL Championship Games were sold
to CBS for $2 million per game, February 14.

Foss resigned as AFL Commissioner, April 7. Al Davis, the head
coach and general manager of the Raiders, was named to replace him,
April 8. Goal posts offset from the goal line, painted bright
yellow, and with uprights 20 feet above the cross-bar were made
standard in the NFL, May 16.

A series of secret meetings regarding a possible AFL-NFL merger
were held in the spring between Hunt of Kansas City and Tex Schramm
of Dallas. Rozelle announced the merger, June 8. Under the
agreement, the two leagues would combine to form an expanded league
with 24 teams, to be increased to 26 in 1968 and to 28 by 1970 or
soon thereafter. All existing franchises would be retained, and no
franchises would be transferred outside their metropolitan areas.
While maintaining separate schedules through 1969, the leagues
agreed to play an annual AFL-NFL World Championship Game beginning
in January, 1967, and to hold a combined draft, also beginning in
1967. Preseason games would be held between teams of each league
starting in 1967. Official regular-season play would start in 1970
when the two leagues would officially merge to form one league with
two conferences. Rozelle was named Commissioner of the expanded
league setup.

Davis rejoined the Raiders, and Milt Woodard was named president
of the AFL, July 25.

The St. Louis Cardinals moved into newly constructed Busch
Memorial Stadium.

Barron Hilton sold the Chargers to a group headed by Eugene Klein
and Sam Schulman, August 25.

New Orleans was awarded an NFL franchise to begin play in 1967,
November 1. John Mecom, Jr., of Houston was designated majority
stockholder and president of the franchise, December 15.

The NFL was realigned for the 1967-69 seasons into the Capitol
and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference and the Central and
Coastal Divisions in the Western Conference, December 2. New Orleans
and the New York Giants agreed to switch divisions in 1968 and
return to the 1967 alignment in 1969.

The rights to the Super Bowl for four years were sold to CBS and
NBC for $9.5 million, December 13.

1967

Green Bay earned the right to
represent the NFL in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game by
defeating Dallas 34-27, January 1. The same day, Kansas City
defeated Buffalo 31-7 to represent the AFL. The Packers defeated the
Chiefs 35-10 before 61,946 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
in the first game between AFL and NFL teams, January 15. The winning
players' share for the Packers was $15,000 each, and the losing
players' share for the Chiefs was $7,500 each. The game was
televised by both CBS and NBC.

The "sling-shot" goal post and a six-foot-wide border around the
field were made standard in the NFL, February 22.

Baltimore made Bubba Smith, a Michigan State defensive lineman,
the first choice in the first combined AFL-NFL draft, March 14.

The AFL awarded a franchise to begin play in 1968 to Cincinnati,
May 24. A group with Paul Brown as part owner, general manager, and
head coach, was awarded the Cincinnati franchise, September 27.

Arthur B. Modell, the president of the Cleveland Browns, was
elected president of the NFL, May 28.

Defensive back Emlen Tunnell of the New York Giants became the
first black player to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame, August 5.

An AFL team defeated an NFL team for the first time, when Denver
beat Detroit 13-7 in a preseason game, August 5.

Green Bay defeated Dallas 21-17 for the NFL championship on a
last-minute 1-yard quarterback sneak by Bart Starr in 13-below-zero
temperature at Green Bay, December 31. The same day, Oakland
defeated Houston 40-7 for the AFL championship.

1968

Green Bay defeated Oakland 33-14
in Super Bowl II at Miami, January 14. The game had the first
$3-million gate in pro football history. Vince Lombardi resigned as
head coach of the Packers, but remained as general manager, January
28.

Werblin sold his shares in the Jets to his partners Don Lillis,
Leon Hess, Townsend Martin, and Phil Iselin, May 21. Lillis assumed
the presidency of the club, but then died July 23. Iselin was
appointed president, August 6.

Halas retired for the fourth and last time as head coach of the
Bears, May 27.

The Oilers left Rice Stadium for the Astrodome and became the
first NFL team to play its home games in a domed stadium.

The movie Heidi became a footnote in sports history when NBC
didn't show the last :50 of the Jets-Raiders game in order to permit
the children's special to begin on time. The Raiders scored two
touchdowns in the last 42 seconds to win 43-32, November 17.

Ewbank became the first coach to win titles in both the NFL and
AFL when his Jets defeated the Raiders 27-23 for the AFL
championship, December 29. The same day, Baltimore defeated
Cleveland 34-0.

1969

The AFL established a playoff
format for the 1969 season, with the winner in one division playing
the runner-up in the other, January 11. An AFL team won the Super
Bowl for the first time, as the Jets defeated the Colts 16-7 at
Miami, January 12 in Super Bowl III. The title Super Bowl was
recognized by the NFL for the first time.

Vince Lombardi became part owner, executive vice-president, and
head coach of the Washington Redskins, February 7.

Wolman sold the Eagles to Leonard Tose, May 1.

Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh agreed to join the AFL teams
to form the 13-team American Football Conference of the NFL in 1970,
May 17. The NFL also agreed on a playoff format that would include
one "wild-card" team per conference-the second-place team with the
best record.

Monday Night Football was signed for 1970. ABC acquired the
rights to televise 13 NFL regular-season Monday night games in 1970,
1971, and 1972.

George Preston Marshall, president emeritus of the Redskins, died
at 72, August 9.

The NFL marked its fiftieth year by the wearing of a special
patch by each of the 16 teams.

1970

Kansas City defeated Minnesota
23-7 in Super Bowl IV at New Orleans, January 11. The gross receipts
of approximately $3.8 million were the largest ever for a one-day
sports event.

Four-year television contracts, under which CBS would televise
all NFC games and NBC all AFC games (except Monday night games) and
the two would divide televising the Super Bowl and AFC-NFC Pro Bowl
games, were announced, January 26.

Art Modell resigned as president of the NFL, March 12. Milt
Woodard resigned as president of the AFL, March 13. Lamar Hunt was
elected president of the AFC and George Halas was elected president
of the NFC, March 19.

The merged 26-team league adopted rules changes putting names on
the backs of players' jerseys, making a point after touchdown worth
only one point, and making the scoreboard clock the official timing
device of the game, March 18.

The Players Negotiating Committee and the NFL Players Association
announced a four-year agreement guaranteeing approximately
$4,535,000 annually to player pension and insurance benefits, August
3. The owners also agreed to contribute $250,000 annually to improve
or implement items such as disability payments, widows' benefits,
maternity benefits, and dental benefits. The agreement also provided
for increased preseason game and per diem payments, averaging
approximately $2.6 million annually.

The Pittsburgh Steelers moved into Three Rivers Stadium. The
Cincinnati Bengals moved to Riverfront Stadium.

Lombardi died of cancer at 57, September 3.

The Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi trophy,
September 10.

Tom Dempsey of New Orleans kicked a game-winning NFL-record
63-yard field goal against Detroit, November 8.